At Düsseldorf Fashion Days 2024, Berlin-based designer Liu Qiongying unveiled her 2025 autumn/winter collection—a vibrant tribute to China’s Jingpo ethnic group. Featuring divine Hornbill motifs from intangible cultural heritage legends, the series marks the 10th chapter of her 28-year Original Design Series of 56 Ethnic Groups. Each pair integrates Shu embroidery, pearl detailing, and wing-inspired silhouettes, redefining millennia-old craftsmanship through contemporary aesthetics.

Born in Chengdu and rooted in footwear for 40 years, Liu founded luxury brand "sheme" to combat stereotypes about Chinese design. "In the 1990s, few believed Asian creators could lead high-end fashion," recalls Liu, referencing early discrimination at Milan fairs. Her 2008 breakthrough—orchid-and-bamboo themed shoes blending Shu embroidery with Art Deco—laid groundwork for cultural diplomacy through design.

Currently, Liu’s team dedicates 18 months to each ethnicity. The Luoba series—crafted from the 2,000-member group’s woven bands paired with Italian platform soles—has remained a bestseller since 2021. For the 2024 Lisu collection, a 75-year-old artisan’s 1-meter hemp textile inspired the "Wild Fiber Ballad" line, later exhibited in Milan and acquired by German collectors.

"Ethnic stories aren’t museum relics but living narratives," emphasizes Liu, who personally interviews elders nationwide. A recent tea-sharing session with Yi storytellers informed designs symbolizing matriarchal wisdom.

Endorsed by Düsseldorf’s Economic Development Director Theresa Winkels, sheme exemplifies Sino-European cultural synergy. "Our shoes must bridge Eastern symbolism and Western ergonomics," notes Liu, whose multicultural design team refines materials for global comfort.

Despite having reached retirement age, Liu Qiongying remains actively engaged in the frontlines of design. Her ultimate vision: parading the complete 56-ethnicity anthology at 2049 global exhibitions—in self-designed footwear, naturally.